Charity Events - MS City to Shore - Former Fat Man Seeks Sponsors!

I'm seeking sponsors for my ride in the MS 150 City to Shore (Cherry Hill to Ocean City, NJ) in September.

Some background on me: In January 2006 I was 385 pounds and barely able to walk. Now, in June 2007, I am at 246 pounds; I'll be at around 200 pounds for the ride. All the weight was lost through healthy eating and exercise. By riding, I'm showing obese people that they can lose weight and lead an active life. If I can do it, anyone can.

I'm also showing that almost anyone can learn to ride a bicycle - I never rode as a child, and I taught myself to ride in December 2006, prior to my 41st birthday. My first ride was one and a half miles, and ended in a crash; this week I've logged by fourth 100 mile week, and will hit a 1000 for the year next week. Again, if I can do it, any fat person can turn his life around.

The MS ride is the perfect way to both showcase my turnaround and raise money for a good cause. Both severe obesity and MS limit mobility and reduce your quality of life. I can't defeat MS for anyone, but I can triumph over my own obesity. The power is entirely in my own hands.

My personal page for sponsorship is:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=3025548&pg=personal&fr_id=2750

It's also accessible through a link on my blog:
http://historian2wheels.blogspot.com/

Congrats on how far you've come. I'm doing this ride too.

That's a mighty accomplishment there.. congrats. I'll be riding in the city to shore as well.. looking forward to it!

I'm seeking sponsors for my ride in the MS 150 City to Shore (Cherry Hill to Ocean City, NJ) in September.

Some background on me: In January 2006 I was 385 pounds and barely able to walk. Now, in June 2007, I am at 246 pounds; I'll be at around 200 pounds for the ride. All the weight was lost through healthy eating and exercise. By riding, I'm showing obese people that they can lose weight and lead an active life. If I can do it, anyone can.

I'm also showing that almost anyone can learn to ride a bicycle - I never rode as a child, and I taught myself to ride in December 2006, prior to my 41st birthday. My first ride was one and a half miles, and ended in a crash; this week I've logged by fourth 100 mile week, and will hit a 1000 for the year next week. Again, if I can do it, any fat person can turn his life around.

The MS ride is the perfect way to both showcase my turnaround and raise money for a good cause. Both severe obesity and MS limit mobility and reduce your quality of life. I can't defeat MS for anyone, but I can triumph over my own obesity. The power is entirely in my own hands.

My personal page for sponsorship is:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=3025548&pg=personal&fr_id=2750

It's also accessible through a link on my blog:
http://historian2wheels.blogspot.com/

I'm up to 830 dollars in fundraising so far for the MS ride. I'm so close to my 1000 dollar goal, folks. Help me get there and help fight MS.

Meanwhile, I've ridden 1700 miles on my bike since March. That's not bad for someone who didn't know how to ride a year ago, and someone who could barely walk two years ago.

Here are before and current photos.

Me at 360, February 2006, after losing 25 pounds:
http://lh4.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RhR24pYhEwI/AAAAAAAAAEA/m3ii5S5YOto/s400/IMG_1161.JPG

And at 260, a year later:
http://lh5.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RhR245YhExI/AAAAAAAAAEI/FypHB4V5mr4/s400/NeilSpinbike3.jpg

And at 243 a month ago:
http://lh3.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RprbHGjEXuI/AAAAAAAAAXo/VgLg_n0QozU/s400/Pinkjerseyfront.jpg

Show-off! HA! Looking great, buddy! And I must say how proud I am of you for your performance on your new wheels on the Dog Daze ride. I wasn't expecting to see you for a while, but you did a great job!!

Stephanielynn and grahny, are either of you riding with a team? If not, I extend an offer to you to ride with Team Copaxone. We offer a company match of $125 to your initial $125 and a very nice jersey. You can PM me with any questions. If you are already registered, we can just switch you over and you still get the benefits.

By the way, the Historian is riding with Team Copaxone as well.

Stephanielynn and grahny, are either of you riding with a team? If not, I extend an offer to you to ride with Team Copaxone. We offer a company match of $125 to your initial $125 and a very nice jersey. You can PM me with any questions. If you are already registered, we can just switch you over and you still get the benefits.

Sure, I'll ride with your team. I'm registered already so just let me know what info you need to move me over to the team.

Sure, I'll ride with your team. I'm registered already so just let me know what info you need to move me over to the team.

Cool. We are riding together. At least until you drop me. :-)

I'm up to 830 dollars in fundraising so far for the MS ride. I'm so close to my 1000 dollar goal, folks. Help me get there and help fight MS.

Meanwhile, I've ridden 1700 miles on my bike since March. That's not bad for someone who didn't know how to ride a year ago, and someone who could barely walk two years ago.

Here are before and current photos.

Me at 360, February 2006, after losing 25 pounds:
http://lh4.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RhR24pYhEwI/AAAAAAAAAEA/m3ii5S5YOto/s400/IMG_1161.JPG

And at 260, a year later:
http://lh5.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RhR245YhExI/AAAAAAAAAEI/FypHB4V5mr4/s400/NeilSpinbike3.jpg

And at 243 a month ago:
http://lh3.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RprbHGjEXuI/AAAAAAAAAXo/VgLg_n0QozU/s400/Pinkjerseyfront.jpg

I passed my 1000 dollar goal. We are going for 1500 next. Care to help me reach it?

Historian,

Congratulations on your health changes. That is fantastic! :)

Let me ask you this, what day is your team riding? Are you guys riding the century?

This may be to short of a notice for me so I don’t know if I could make it. I have to do some checking.

Historian,

Congratulations on your health changes. That is fantastic! :)

Let me ask you this, what day is your team riding? Are you guys riding the century?

This may be too short of a notice for me so I don’t know if I could make it. I have to do some checking.

Team Copaxone is riding both days. The length of the ride is up to the individual rider. I'm riding the century on the first day. Some folks are doing both days.

You can register for the ride online, but remember you need to meet a fundraising minimum of 250 bucks by the day of the ride.

Historian,

I will not be able to make this ride. I am going to donate to one of your team members that hasn’t meet their goal yet. Have a safe ride. :)

Historian,

I will not be able to make this ride. I am going to donate to one of your team members that hasn’t meet their goal yet. Have a safe ride. :)

Thanks. Or donate to BikeNC, who has a moving appeal elsewhere on this forum.

By the way, the Historian is riding with Team Copaxone as well.

I promise to not drop you, Uncadan. :-)

By the way, the Historian is riding with Team Copaxone as well.

I promise to not drop you, Uncadan. :-)

Historian, good luck on your upcoming ride. I hope you have as much fun as I did, on my MS Tour to Tanglewood ride last weekend. It was one of the most exciting and rewarding things I've ever done. I'm already looking forward to next year, and hope my condition will allow me to participate again.

Thanks for spreading the word, about my ride last weekend. What you've accomplished with your weightloss, and fitness routine is pretty amazing. Keep up the good work. Enjoy your ride and stay safe.

Mike

Awesome story! Great work, I'm one of those struggling people that has accepted responsibility for my weight and I'm currently working on turning my life around. Its tough to do and you deserve a lot of respect for your accomplishment.

Good luck on the ride you shouldn't have any trouble with the training you've done. I'm riding with Team Tania see you in Ocean City!

It would be cool to meet some BF posters along the way. I'll be riding a blue Surly LHT with front and rear racks and wood fenders. Say hi as you blow past me!

Awesome story! Great work, I'm one of those struggling people that has accepted responsibility for my weight and I'm currently working on turning my life around. Its tough to do and you deserve a lot of respect for your accomplishment.

Good luck on the ride you shouldn't have any trouble with the training you've done. I'm riding with Team Tania see you in Ocean City!

It would be cool to meet some BF posters along the way. I'll be riding a blue Surly LHT with front and rear racks and wood fenders. Say hi as you blow past me!

I'll be the large fellow at the back of Team Copaxone. The large fellow in the front will be the team captain.

congrats to all you riders who are in this event. i did the first day and it was a lot of fun. i also tranformed my body through cycling. 250 to 170.

you should all check out the covered bridges ride on oct 14th. in bucks county, PA.

http://www.cbbikeclub.org/

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v464/feethanddooth/paul/suckysucky.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v464/feethanddooth/paul/IMG_2998.jpg

I'm up to 830 dollars in fundraising so far for the MS ride. I'm so close to my 1000 dollar goal, folks. Help me get there and help fight MS.

Meanwhile, I've ridden 1700 miles on my bike since March. That's not bad for someone who didn't know how to ride a year ago, and someone who could barely walk two years ago.

Here are before and current photos.

Me at 360, February 2006, after losing 25 pounds:
http://lh4.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RhR24pYhEwI/AAAAAAAAAEA/m3ii5S5YOto/s400/IMG_1161.JPG

And at 260, a year later:
http://lh5.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RhR245YhExI/AAAAAAAAAEI/FypHB4V5mr4/s400/NeilSpinbike3.jpg

And at 243 a month ago:
http://lh3.google.com/neil.thehistorian/RprbHGjEXuI/AAAAAAAAAXo/VgLg_n0QozU/s400/Pinkjerseyfront.jpg

the difference in your appearance from at 243 from 260 is awesome. keep it going! whats your weight goal?

I just got back from the ride. It was a good time, but the route could use some hills :) I was in a complete daze saturday morning from lack of sleep, but still managed to pull out a quick average and get into ocean city before 11am. Today the legs were hurting pretty bad (not eating breakfast or stopping for lunch didn't help), but I got in with a few guys that wanted to burn through so we had a very fast pace line going, just hammering the whole way. I had to jump off around mile 55 or 60 to use the little boys room, and just finished the ride solo. Ended up with 20+ mph average for both days. PR on average speeds for that kind of distance, two days running. I'm pleased :D.. not that average speeds mean anything... time wise, per mile time was 2:56 for all 150 miles... niiiiice :D:D

I too used cycling when I first got back into it to lose weight and get back into shape. Over the years I've lost a total of 60lbs, going from 245 to 185, with the bulk of it (50lbs) being lost in the first 5 months about 5yrs ago.... lemond was absolutely right though, 'it never gets easier, you just go faster' ... something that can be applicable to even us mere mortals :)

Hope everyone had a good time! I'll be at the bucks county metric on the 14th as well (I think I started a thread about it a while back...hmmmm...).. here it is:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=335158

Neil- How did your ride go?

I just got back from the ride. It was a good time, but the route could use some hills :) I was in a complete daze saturday morning from lack of sleep, but still managed to pull out a quick average and get into ocean city before 11am. Today the legs were hurting pretty bad (not eating breakfast or stopping for lunch didn't help), but I got in with a few guys that wanted to burn through so we had a very fast pace line going, just hammering the whole way. I had to jump off around mile 55 or 60 to use the little boys room, and just finished the ride solo. Ended up with 20+ mph average for both days. PR on average speeds for that kind of distance, two days running. I'm pleased :D.. not that average speeds mean anything... time wise, per mile time was 2:56 for all 150 miles... niiiiice :D:D

I too used cycling when I first got back into it to lose weight and get back into shape. Over the years I've lost a total of 60lbs, going from 245 to 185, with the bulk of it (50lbs) being lost in the first 5 months about 5yrs ago.... lemond was absolutely right though, 'it never gets easier, you just go faster' ... something that can be applicable to even us mere mortals :)

Hope everyone had a good time! I'll be at the bucks county metric on the 14th as well (I think I started a thread about it a while back...hmmmm...).. here it is:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=335158

Neil- How did your ride go?

I completed the century. My computer says 106 miles, 8 hours 54 minutes rolling time. Total time including stops was 10 hours, 25 minutes. I didn't ride the second day, not because of the legs, but because of the right shoulder. I really need to solve my posture problems on the bike.

I'll post a full report later.

I completed the century. My computer says 106 miles, 8 hours 54 minutes rolling time. Total time including stops was 10 hours, 25 minutes. I didn't ride the second day, not because of the legs, but because of the right shoulder. I really need to solve my posture problems on the bike.

I'll post a full report later.

Congrats! I always have new aches and pains come out of nowhere when I'm in the saddle for a long time.

Hey you guys... I rode the city to shore as well... and then jumped a plane oversears 2 days later... so here I am WAAAAAAAAAY late.

This year was also my first ride. I usually commute to work solo, but I have a monthly ride w/ about 150ish people that accustomed me to riding in groups. I was REAL worried about the ride, but it wasn't as harsh as I expected.

NEXT YEAR, I intend to start my own team. All interested should join. It will be something to the effect of "team screw your team". I guess I should explain :)

I have MS, been diagnosed for 7 years. Doctors just play the Rx game. Insurance companies screw around. Healthcare is crap. No disrespect to team Copaxone, but do you know what they tell you as a patient receiving their drugs??? "We're not sure if it works, but it seems to, but we're not really sure how".
Makes you feel good, doesn't it?

So my therapy is running my body down to nothing. Over and over. I'm in a highly technical industry that is incredibly physical, on top of commuting by bike, as well as climbing (I wouldn't really call it MOUNTAIN climbing).

Maybe the team name will be a little more refined, so as not to offend anyone (not that I ever really cared before)... but you should join. Drop the corporate sponsor super frilly teams and ride w/ someone with MS who's beating it by strong-arming it to nothing.

Maybe next year, possibly year after I would like to ride the MS150 NJ and the MS150 Delaware... If anyone has the same ideas... JOIN MY TEAM.

Ha I must sound totally nuts.